Quick Books vs. LawnMonkey software, help?

[Popper]

I need to start tracking with some business software and I wondered who had any advice? I am fairly new and I track my cash flow on Excel worksheet right now, I need some scheduling and accounting software bad, and I think I'm ready to budget it in. What are the pros and cons of say, Quick books w/ express, plain lawnmonkey, and peachtree softwares? Is there any else worth comparing? I'm just clueless,
Sincerely,
Ryan

[Scott]

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well one thing that I do know is that if you're not doing your own books you better off using peachtree because it doesn't allow you to go back and fudge #'s. Once you input them, they're there forever. Helps with keeping you from getting ripped off.

[grasshopper]

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I have been doing the same thing as you for a long time now with the Excel spreadsheets. I purchased QuickBooks Pro last Spring and hated it. I dumped it very quickly and wrote the cost off. Recently I purchased GroundsKeeper Pro and love it. If you are going to buy software, don't buy Peach Tree or QuickBooks b/c there are lots of programs out there designed for this business that work much better. I know LawnMonkey and soem of the others are very expensive, but the one I gotwas only $350. I haven't found anything that the others do that this one doesn't. They have a trial version you can download at the website www.adkad.com

[BergLawnCare]

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I too also purchased the groundskeeper pro this year. This program is very easy to use and in my opinion i don't think there could be any easier program out there for this business.

[qualitylandscaping]

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I also own Groundskeeper Pro.. Works well and has alot of features!

[Popper]

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i bought it GKPro! It's nice, thanks! But it won't print employee checks? ANd has no good forms, Oh well.

[Scaper-S2k]

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If you strictly want tracking, DON'T go with Quick Books Pro. But, quick books pro is a top notch program, but it isn't gonna tract and schedule your lawns. Quick Books Pro is almost strictly accounting software and used for running your entire business. There is a program that does work with QB Pro for tracking also. Sorry I can't recall the name. I think 'Express' something or other.

If you buy QB Pro for tracking, you WILL be disappointed. Don't blame the software if it wasn't designed for what you were hoping. But it is the best program for tracking everything for a small business from payroll to printing out quarterly 941 tax forms along with 1099's and W-2's and W-3's. Tracting depreciation, Lines of Credit, everything! Not just that, but meshes right in with most tax programs. Best for tracking the whole business itself, but not for scheduling and tracking your lawns.

[Scaper-S2k]

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Popper, I see you did mention Quick Books with Express. From what I have been told, that is the best way to go by far. Great tracking, and the best biz software all wrapped up working together.

And, not to sound mean cause I don't know your size operation. But we've never had much of a problem tracking and scheduling, even with hundreds of lawns. I don't think a program exists that takes into account each type lawn and drought or rain conditions. Each lawn is different. Now for the guy that says "No, we mow them every week regardless", then I REALLY don't understand why they need that software. Because you mow it and cross it off the list every week then. Maybe my type of tracking is different than most, but it's simple, and I'm in 100% control for whatever may happen that day/week/month with rain, no rain, or what ever. Just me I guess. Even when you are up over 300-500 lawns, they are still individually tracked by the foreman or supervisors. Not like one guy tracks all 500 lawns....and they shouldn't have to.

[Scott]

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for tracking just use the weekly calendar option in Microsoft outlook. It's easy and sets up all recurring jobs and you can put in additional info such as, need customer requested; trim bushes this week, fertilize shrubs, fix sprinkler head by the mailbox, etc... Only a suggestion.

[Scaper-S2k]

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Scott, give us a bit more details. Not sure if I have Microsoft Outlook. Is that integrated into Microsoft Windows XP or what?

[Scott]

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ha! dunno if is or isn't? Open your email and see what it says at the top of the page. Or do a search on your puter for it. If it's outlook, open your email, then on the left side click on the "calendar" option, goto the top of your page or toolbar, and click "View"
then "current view"
then "active apppointments".
Then under "File" click "New"
Then input your customers info, select times and unclick "reminder" and if they're recurring click the "recurrence" button at the top.

If they have requested services, trim hedges, fert., etc.. go to the bottom right corner under "categories" and put in your info.
click, "save and close" then start all over for next customer,, can be a pain initially and probably a better way to do this but this is how I learned.
Then you should be looking at a page with several columns. You can right click on the title column heading and delete columns that you don't need like start and stop times. Obviously leave subject, location and categories. If you don't delete some columns you won't be able to read you catorgory items.
If you click the category tab you can add your services. I'm sure if you're a computer geek you could get into the program and rename some of the titles from Categories to requested services, location to address, and subject to customer, etc...

Hope this helps and like I said initially inputing all this info could be tedious but you'd have to do it with any program.

[wojo23323]

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I use Quickbooks Pro 2002 for accounting. It is very easy. I use Qexpress for scheduling and invoicing. It will export invoices to Quickbooks. Go to www.alocet.com for pricing info.

[jrservices]

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<blockquote id="quote"><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"><i>Originally posted by Scott</i>
<br />for tracking just use the weekly calendar option in Microsoft outlook. It's easy and sets up all recurring jobs and you can put in additional info such as, need customer requested; trim bushes this week, fertilize shrubs, fix sprinkler head by the mailbox, etc... Only a suggestion.
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote"></font id="quote">scott i also use the microsoft works calendar,mine is on millenium edition. i would imagine it is also on windows xp.[:p][]

[qualitylandscaping]

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I used to use Yahoo Calendar.. Once I got Groundskeeper Pro, I stopped using the Yahoo one, but it is easy and freefor anyone that wants a simple to use scheduling program.. BTW you can print off schedules from Yahoo..